First private land added to Hauraki Gulf Marine Park

May 8 2009

The Hauraki Gulf Forum this week congratulated Waiheke land owner Rob Fenwick for adding over 300 hectares of private land to the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park.

Mr Fenwick advised the forum of the Minister of Conservation's consent to add his covenanted family land near Te Matuku Bay to the marine park, the first private land to be added since the marine park's inception in 2000.

Mr Fenwick said he had been inspired by the work of the British Countryside Commission (now known as English Nature), which encouraged and enabled public access through a mix of private and public lands in national parks.
“It’s something we have never done in New Zealand, but conservation shouldn’t be an exclusive club.”

He said similar parks been created around the Everglades and Great Barrier Reef, using an IUCN (World Conservation Union) parkland category in which privately owned landscapes are protected.

“These are places – like the Gulf – that have high landscape values but are parks that people live in,” Mr Fenwick said.

The Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act contains similar provisions, enabling council administered parks and reserves, Maori land and private land, and even certain fisheries to be added to the marine park.

Ownership doesn’t change but coastal land owners or managers share in the special national recognition and agree to recognise and give effect to the purposes of the park to protect natural and historic features in perpetuity.

The remainder of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park is currently islands and coastal reserves administered by the Department of Conservation.

The Fenwick block is one of the few on Waiheke “still larger than 1000 acres”, and contains important historic sites, such as ridgeline kumara pits from Maori occupation, and regenerating patches of pohutukawa and broadleaf forest.
Mr Fenwick has provided a public walkway through the northern part of the property to assist Auckland City Council in achieving its goal of developing a walkway around Waiheke Island

Hauraki Gulf Forum Chair and Hauraki District Council Mayor John Tregidga said the marine park symbolised the special obligations councils and government agencies have to carefully manage activities across the catchment of the Gulf under the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act.

“Creating a high profile and widely celebrated marine park is essential if we are to realise our vision of a healthy, productive and natural Gulf for the future.”

Auckland Regional Council Chairman and Hauraki Gulf Forum Deputy Chair Mike Lee also congratulated Mr Fenwick and described the addition as another milestone in efforts to breathe life into the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park.

“Over the past month we have witnessed the return of little spotted kiwi to Motuihe and the Dual endurance event on Motutapu-Rangitoto, which drew the largest crowds to Home Bay since picnic days in the early 1900s.”

Mr Lee said the Department of Conservation’s pest eradication on Motutapu-Rangitoto, due to start next month, would open up further opportunities to fully realise the potential of the marine park.

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